Mother charged with kidnapping her children held on bail

By News Staff

Reporting by Samantha Fenlon

sfenlon@abc6.com

New inflammatory information has emerged about phone calls and test messages sent by Valeria McGrath–the Lakeville mother charged with kidnapping her kids.

In court Tuesday, prosecutors described a conversation 47-year-old McGrath had with her sister about the children, whose father has sole custody.

"That she did not want to drop off the kids. That she might as well drive into traffic. She also stated that next time she had the kids there will be an amber alert," said Dan Jimenez, Assistant District Attorney.

McGrath never returned from a scheduled visit with the children, a 7-year-old and 5-year-old, on Sunday.

When she and her kids were missing more than a day later, prosecutors say McGrath texted a friend saying that she had wrecked her car and was ready to turn herself in. When police arrived at the Swansea crash site, she was gone, and a suicide note was found inside the abandoned land rover.

According to Jimenez, McGrath wrote, "I just can’t stand being away from the kids for another minute. It’s just been torture." He said the letter ended with her saying, "Please do not attend the services. The bodies are not important. We always have their hearts."

Police say McGrath took a taxi to buy a rental car in Fall River. She and the kids were eventually found at a McDonalds in Raynham. Inside the rental car, investigators found a hose and a box of wine.

McGrath’s attorney points to a troubled past between the couple, saying the mother was just trying to protect her kids.

"What yesterday was was the culmination of and the actions of a desperate mom who had feared for her children’s safety," he said.

Earlier this month McGrath was charged with larceny. The children’s father, Steven Carrigan, does have a record, including assault and battery against McGrath. He served time at the house of corrections.

McGrath pleaded not guilty and was held on 50 thousand dollars bail.

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